Which Vitamins & Supplements Do Men & Women REALLY Need To Take?

Vitamin schmitamin…

It’s so confusing. How much? Which ones? And why?

Jim and I are beginning to feel the effects of 40-something coming down on us. So I figured, one of the better things we could do for our bodies (aside from exercise and diet, of course) is to get healthy from the inside out.

I researched a few vitamin suggestions from "the experts" and here’s what I’ve learned…

Which Ones? How Much?

The following info pertains to pre-menopausal women under the age of 50, and men under 50.

DHA omega-3 (600 mg) — it’s similar to Fish Oil but "doesn’t give you the anti-coagulant problems that sometimes you run into with Fish Oil."

Vitamin D (1000 iu) — "Vitamin D is critically important for preventing cancer and critically important for reducing heart problems … It’s one of the best ways of reducing infection rates … Your body naturally gets Vitamin D through sunlight exposure, so Dr. Oz says to get 10 minutes of direct sun exposure to your body or take a Vitamin D supplement once a day. Source

Calcium (600 mg) — but always take it with magnesium (200 mg), or you might get "a little constipation."

Baby Aspirin (2 tablets daily; 162 mg total) — "We know it’s very effective in reducing heart disease, very effective in reducing cancer. We think it might actually reduce wrinkles. There’s a lot of things aspirin might do that are beneficial to you not only because it thins your blood, but it’s a very powerful anti-inflammatory drug." Source

A Multivitamin — "Everyone takes the basic same multivitamin with two small exceptions," he says. Pre-menopausal women should take a multivitamin with Iron in it and 5,000 units of Vitamin A. Men and post-menopausal women can take a basic multivitamin with 2,500 units of Vitamin A." Source

Dr. Oz also said this on the Oprah show about your multivitamin of choice:

Cut it in half so you have 2 doses. If you divide the vitamin in half, then you stabilize your dose during the day. Take half in the morning, half in the evening. Source

Jim and I decided to sign up for the auto-delivery of Nature’s Code multivitamins through QVC. I’ve used that brand before, and had good luck. I always felt cleansed from the inside out, without any noticeable side effects.

Plus, I like the fact that a new 3-month supply arrives on your doorstep via UPS every 3 months (but you don’t have to pay for the shipping each time). Some would say that’s built into the high cost of these vitamins, which may be true to some degree. But I know how we are (lazy about our health) and the more we can do to ‘automate’ things that keep us healthy, the better — for us anyway. Now where’s that hunky personal trainer that shows up on my doorstep regularly? (Kidding.)

And the vitamins & minerals that Dr. Oz mentioned are also included in the Nature’s Code product (though the amounts are slightly different). For example, in the Women Under 50 system:

Vitamin A 2000 IU

Vitamin C 1000 mg

Vitamin D 400 IU

Vitamin E 400 IU

Calcium 1200 mg

Magnesium 400 mg

Folic Acid 500 mcg

Iron 18 mg

Zinc 15 mg

…and others

And, to be honest, I think you could ask 10 different doctors and get 10 different answers about the exact amounts of each vitamin you should be taking. So I’m good with a few milligrams more or less here and there. Or a few IU’s difference on this pill or that pill. At least for now. Besides, a respected multivitamin has got to be better than NO multivitamin, right?

Dr. Oz says you can get all of your daily vitamins for less than one dollar a day. Nature’s Code — while it seems expensive when you buy it in 3-month increments — falls well under $1 a day… even when you add the daily Fish Oil supplement.

I like to help people find unique ways to do things in order to save time & money -- so I write about "outside the box" ideas that most wouldn't think of. As a lifelong dog owner, I often share my best tips for living with and training dogs. I worked in Higher Ed over 10 years before switching gears to pursue activities that I'm truly passionate about. I've worked at a vet, in a photo lab, and at a zoo -- to name a few. I enjoy the outdoors via bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, or RV. You can always find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).

MORE LIKE THIS ...

GET HEALTHY LIVING TIPS VIA EMAIL

Stay up to date with what's happening on The Health Guide. From DIY Home Remedies and Healthy Living tips to our own Honest Health Facts and Personal Experiences... you'll always be the first to see these helpful tips as soon as we publish a new article.